Pump assembly with rapid assembly

ABSTRACT

A centrifugal pump assembly with an electric motor arranged in a stator housing, in which a box, containing an electrical board, is arranged at one end of the stator housing, includes an intermediate element between the motor and the box, being complementary, on one side, to the stator housing and, on the other side, to the box. The intermediate element is a covering and/or connecting element.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to, and claims the benefit of, ItalianPatent Application No. 102017000103807, filed on Sep. 18, 2017, thecontents of which are herein incorporated by reference in theirentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a centrifugal pump assembly, withelectric motor.

The disclosure also relates to a covering and/or connecting element forsuch a centrifugal pump assembly, with electric motor.

BACKGROUND

Conventional centrifugal pump assemblies are composed substantially of ahollow body provided with intake and deliver ducts and containing one ormore impellers interleaved by diffusers and keyed on the shaft of anelectric motor enclosed inside a motor casing that isolates it from thepumping liquid.

An electrical board, contained in a box, powers and controls theoperation of the motor.

In some cases, around the casing and the electrical box there is acovering element adapted to keep the pump assembly together.

These known techniques have drawbacks and aspects that can be improved.

The electric motor and the electrical box are usually fixed by usingscrews and this determines an expenditure in terms of time and costs forthe provision of the product and for its maintenance.

The covering element, where present, is also fixed by means of screwsand this determines an expenditure in terms of time and costs for theprovision of the product and for its maintenance.

Furthermore, the covering element, where present, is not a structuralelement but serves only as an aesthetic element.

SUMMARY

The aim of the present disclosure is to provide a centrifugal pumpassembly, with electric motor, that is capable of improving thebackground art in one or more of the above-mentioned aspects.

Within this aim, the disclosure provides a centrifugal pump assembly,with electric motor, that comprises an intermediate covering and/orconnecting element between the electric motor and the electrical box.

The disclosure also provides a centrifugal pump assembly, with electricmotor, in which said covering and/or connecting element is fixed to theassembly by reducing the costs and time necessary for assembling andmaintaining the product.

The disclosure further provides a centrifugal pump assembly, withelectric motor, in which said covering and/or connecting element iscustomizable and has a pleasant visual impact.

The disclosure provides a centrifugal pump assembly, with electricmotor, that comprises an element capable of protecting at leastpartially the user from the heat generated in the electric motor casing.

The present disclosure overcomes the drawbacks of the background art ina manner which is alternative to any existing solutions.

The disclosure further provides a centrifugal pump assembly, withelectric motor, that is highly reliable, relatively easy to provide andat competitive costs.

This aim and these and other advantages which will become betterapparent hereinafter are achieved by providing a centrifugal pumpassembly, with electric motor, arranged in a stator housing, in which abox, containing an electrical board, is arranged at one end of saidstator housing, characterized in that it comprises an intermediateelement between said motor and said box, adapted to be integraltherewith, being complementary, on one side, to said stator and, on theother side, to said box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the disclosure will becomebetter apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusiveembodiment of the centrifugal pump assembly, with electric motor,according to the disclosure, illustrated by way of non-limiting examplein the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the pump assembly according to thedisclosure;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the pump assembly of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a detail of the pump assembly according tothe disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the FIGS. 1-3, the centrifugal pump assembly, withelectric motor according to the disclosure, is generally designated byreference numeral 10.

The centrifugal pump assembly 10 comprises a wet region having intakeand delivery ducts, not shown in the figures, of the known type, and animpeller, also not shown in the figures, of the known type, submerged inthe wet region.

The impeller is keyed on a shaft 17 of an electric motor 19 composed ofa stator 12 and a rotor 18. The electric motor is placed in a statorhousing 11, adapted to insulate it from the wet region.

The centrifugal pump assembly 10 comprises, at one end, an electricalbox 13, which contains an electrical board 14 adapted to control andpower the electric motor 19. The electrical box 13 has a cylindricalshape and is closed at the free end by a lid 15.

In particular, the electric motor 19 and the electrical box 14 areextended along a same axis X, which coincides with the rotational axisof the motor and of the impeller. The electric motor 19 and theelectrical box 14 are connected and rendered integral by the presence ofan intermediate element 16. The intermediate element 16 is a connectingand/or covering element and has a tubular shape.

The intermediate element 16 is made of plastic material and has someraised portions on its surface which can be customized. At the sametime, the color of the intermediate element 16 can also be customized soas to generate a pleasant visual impact in the user.

A particularity of the intermediate element 16 resided in the type offixing to the electrical box 13 and to the stator housing 11. In fact,the connecting element 16 has components adapted to be complementary, onone side, to components of the electrical box 13 and, on the other side,to components of the stator housing 11, generating couplings byinterlocking with interference.

Advantageously, the intermediate element 16 can fix the box 13 to saidstator housing even in a different manner.

With reference to FIG. 2, the intermediate element 16 has seats and/orholes 20 adapted for the insertion of protrusions 21, convenientlyshaped on the surface that is lateral and parallel to the axis X, ofrotation of the impeller, of the electrical box 13, generating aninterlock.

Likewise, with reference to FIG. 3, on the intermediate element 16 thereare elements, such as for example teeth 22, on the inner tubularsurface, adapted to generate an interference with elements such as, forexample, projections 23, conveniently shaped on the surface of thestator housing 11 that is outer lateral and parallel to the axis X, ofrotation of the impeller.

The intermediate element 16 has such a dimension to cover, at leastpartially, both the box 13 and the stator housing 11. In a constructivevariation, the intermediate element 16 covers the box 13, on one side,and the stator housing 11 up to the section for connection therewith.

In particular, the electrical box 13 and the stator housing 11 havemutually complementary contact surfaces. From the electrical box 13 oneor more first pins 28 extend which are adapted to be inserted incorresponding through holes 29 present on the contact surface of thestator housing 11. The pins 28 are adapted to connect the box 13 and thehousing 11 and to facilitate the assembly of the pump 10.

Likewise, the box 13 has one or more second pins 30, which are extendedinside the box 13 and in the direction of the lid 15, the tips of whichare adapted for insertion in corresponding holes present on the surfaceof the lid 15 that is directed toward the inside of the box 13. The pins30 are adapted to connect the box 13 and the lid 15 and to facilitatethe assembly of the pump 10.

Male connecting plates 24 extend from the electrical board 14 and areadapted to enter female terminals 25 connected to the electric motor 19.In this manner, the board 14 can power and control the electric motor19.

The electrical board 14 has, at one end, a connector 26 adapted to beinserted in an electric power supply terminal, which is external to thepump. At the region of insertion of said terminal, the box 13 has a tab27 that protrudes with respect to the intermediate element 16.

The stator housing 11 has, at the end that is opposite the end forcontact with the electrical box 13, a perimetric annular tab 31 having aplurality of through holes 32, adapted to the insertion of screws 34 forfixing the stator housing 11 to the body of said intake and deliveryducts, not visible in the figures.

The electrical box 13 is provided internally with a tubular body 34 withan axis of extension that coincides with the axis X.

Advantageously, the tubular body 34 can have an extension that does notcoincide with the axis X, but is parallel thereto.

The tubular body 34 extends from the surface of contact with the statorhousing 11 to the lid 15 of the electrical box 13. At the cross-sectionof the tubular body 34, both the electrical board 14 and the lid 15 havea through hole 36 with an axis of extension that coincides with the axisX. The through hole 36 and the tubular body 34 are adapted for theinsertion of a venting or inspection plug 35 with an end in contact withthe wet region. The tubular body 34 and the hole 36 of the lid 15 havesuch dimensions and shapes to ensure an interference and insulation ofthe electrical board 14 from the wet region, even in the event ofventing.

The seal between the wet region and the plug 35 is ensured by an O-ring37, of the known type, the seal of which between the wet region, theelectrical box 13 and the stator housing 11 is ensured by a gasket 38 ofthe known type.

The gasket 38 is co-molded on the box 13.

It should be noted that the intermediate element 16 according to thedisclosure allows to connect and render the electric motor 19 and theelectrical box 13 integral by simple interlocking, without the need touse fixing screws, reducing the number of operations and the assemblyand maintenance costs.

Furthermore, it should be noted that said intermediate element 16partially protects the user from the heat generated during the operationof the motor 19 on the stator housing 11.

It should be noted also that the intermediate element 16 allows acustomization both in terms of shape and in terms of color, generating apleasant visual impact.

In practice it has been found that the disclosure achieves the intendedaims and advantages by providing a centrifugal pump assembly, withelectric motor, arranged in a stator housing, in which a box is arrangedat one end of said stator housing, and comprising an intermediateelement between the motor and the box, adapted to be integral therewith,being complementary, on one side, to the stator and, on the other side,to the box.

The disclosure thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modificationsand variations, all of which are within the scope of the appendedclaims; all the details may further be replaced with other technicallyequivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, so long as theyare compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapesand dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and the stateof the art.

1. A centrifugal pump assembly, with an electric motor, arranged in astator housing, in which a box, containing an electrical board, isarranged at one end of said stator housing, the centrifugal pumpassembly comprising an intermediate element between said motor and saidbox, adapted to be integral therewith, being complementary, on one side,to said stator housing and, on another side, to said box.
 2. Thecentrifugal pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein saidintermediate element is a tubular covering and/or a connecting element.3. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 2, wherein saidtubular covering and/or said connecting element is provided withcomponents adapted to be complementary, on one side, to components ofsaid electrical box and, on the other side, to components of said statorhousing, generating couplings by interlocking with interference.
 4. Thecentrifugal pump assembly according to claim 2, wherein said coveringand/or said connecting element is provided with seats and/or holesadapted for the insertion of protrusions, of a lateral surface of saidbox, generating an interlock.
 5. The centrifugal pump assembly accordingto claim 2, wherein said covering and/or said connecting element isprovided with teeth, on an internal tubular surface, adapted to generatean interference with projections of an outer lateral surface of thestator housing.
 6. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 1,wherein said box has a cylindrical extension and an end lid.
 7. Thecentrifugal pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein said box andsaid stator housing have mutually complementary contact surfaces.
 8. Thecentrifugal pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein said box has oneor more first pins adapted to be inserted in corresponding through holespresent on a contact surface of the stator housing.
 9. The centrifugalpump assembly according to claim 8, wherein said box has one or moresecond pins, which are extended inside the box and in the direction ofthe lid, the tips of which are adapted for insertion in correspondingholes present on a surface of the lid that is directed toward an insideof the box.
 10. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 1,wherein said electrical board is provided with male connecting platesadapted to enter female terminals connected to said electric motor. 11.The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein saidelectrical board has, at one end, a connector adapted to be inserted inan electric power supply terminal, which is external to the pump. 12.The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 11, wherein at theregion of insertion of said electric power supply terminal said box hasa tab that protrudes with respect to said intermediate element.
 13. Thecentrifugal pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein said box isprovided internally with a tubular body with an axis of extension thatcoincides with, or is parallel to, an axis of extension of said box. 14.The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 13, wherein saidtubular body has an extension from a surface of contact with said statorhousing to said lid of said box.
 15. The centrifugal pump assemblyaccording to claim 14, wherein at a cross-section of said tubular bodyboth said electrical board and said lid have a through hole with an axisof extension that coincides with an axis of extension of said tubularbody.
 16. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 15, whereinsaid through hole and said tubular body are adapted for the insertion ofa venting or inspection plug.